Is There an Appropriate Use of 76856/76857 in Urological Practice?

Ultrasound and other diagnostic services have been under increasing scrutiny by payer organizations due to suspected overuse for monetary gain. For the urology practice ultrasound has grown in utility for diagnosis and treatment.

Articles and coding resources were reviewed in this discussion of the appropriate use of ultrasound codes.

With increasing financial pressure from all fronts to regulate the appropriate use of technology in the treatment of patients and the targeted elimination of unnecessary tests, urology practices will be required to practice diligence in prescribing, providing and reporting all tests. Understanding ultrasound codes and their appropriate use requires an understanding not only of the codes themselves but also the alternative codes available for reporting.

This article provides an overview of the CPT^® coding options relative to ultrasound use in the urology practice.